Guyanese surgeon honoured with Martin Luther King Jr award

Guyanese Surgeon and Haematologist/Oncologist, Howard Benn, was the recipient of this year’s St. Joseph’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Education Award by the St. Joseph’s Healthcare System Headquartered in Paterson, New Jersey, USA. Patricia Mennor, a representative of St. Joseph’s Healthcare System thanked the surgeon for sharing his talents. Benn is described as a dedicated physician who cares for his patients with the most critical, medically complex and terminal illnesses. Dr. Benn’s research, on behalf of his cancer patients, seeking proven, medically appropriate treatment protocol is considered tireless along with the efforts to share that knowledge with his patients. The surgeon, an advocate for healthy living, emphasized the importance of good nutrition, regular exercise, sleep, a positive attitude and maintaining good, positive relationships with others. These are the five factors essential to promoting and maintaining a healthy mind, body and spirit. Benn holds competencies in Haematology and Oncology, Molecular Biology, Abdominal and Surgical Oncology, and Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation. He lectures on topics such as treatment and staging of Colon Cancer, understanding the Leukemia Patient, effective ways of treating Neutropenia in Cancer Patients. Dr. Benn serves as a mentor to advanced practice nurses from Rutgers, Fairleigh Dickinson, and William Paterson universities and is a clinical instructor to medical doctors in training. Community, corporations and churches, including the Bethel Church of God in Christ, the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, and the Mayer Berkshire Corporation, have all bene- fitted from cancer education programmes he has spoken on. He also serves as St. Joseph’s Liaison Physician with the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer and is the principal investigator for several US oncology research studies. The St. Joseph’s Healthcare System is the leading Catholic medical facility in New Jersey with a Regional Medical Center and a Children’s Hospital in Paterson and a Clinic in Wayne. It is recognized as one of the leading health care facilities in the New York Metropolitan Area and caring for some 1.5 million people annually. It is currently celebrating 150 years of its existence. Dr. Howard Benn is the youngest son of the late Brindley Benn CCH (Former Deputy Premier and Ambassador), and of Mrs. Patricia Benn of Ogle Front, East Coast Demerara.

(kaieteurnews)